


Immortal Times

by dairesfanficrefuge_archivist



Category: Highlander - All Media Types, Poltergeist: The Legacy, The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2002-01-14
Updated: 2002-01-14
Packaged: 2018-12-18 06:17:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11868402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dairesfanficrefuge_archivist/pseuds/dairesfanficrefuge_archivist
Summary: Note from Daire, the archivist: this story was originally archived atDaire's Fanfic Refuge. Deciding to give the stories a more long-term home, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address onDaire's Fanfic Refuge's collection profile.





	Immortal Times

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Daire, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Daire's Fanfic Refuge](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Daire%27s_Fanfic_Refuge). Deciding to give the stories a more long-term home, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Daire's Fanfic Refuge's collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/dairesfanficrefuge/profile).

Immortal Times by KarenK

_Immortal Times_

By KarenK 

A _Highlander/Poltergeist The Legacy/Jules Verne_ crossover fanfic 

**Status:** unfinished 

* * *

**PART 1**

"You're insane?!" Duncan MacLeod said as he stared at Karen Roarke from where she sat on the edge of his desk. 

"Mac, you guys are the best choice. You know the place and time better than anyone because you were there. I need someone with your skills for the mission." She gave him her best puppy look that she used when she wanted to talk him into something. 

"I don't know Mac, it sounds like fun," said Adam 'Methos' Pierson. 

"It would to you," Mac answered sarcastically. 

"Want me to bring Joe and Richie too?" he asked jokingly. 

"Joe is the Northwest Director, so he could probably run the operation. Richie is young and probably will come up with helpful ideas," she responded. 

"Then why do you need me and Methos?" asked Mac. 

"Haven't you been listening, Junior? She needs us for our experience and talents," Adam teased. 

"I could behead you," Mac told him. "Time travel is impossible." 

"The friend I told you about has been traveling into the past since the 1970's. He's only lost one guy and that was at the start of the project. An arrowhead from the Stone Age embedded in his back," she told him. 

"Ouch," said Adam and grinned mischievously at MacLeod. 

"I checked and neither of you guys were in London in the 1860's. That means no chance of running into yourselves. Of course, you have your own swords and know how to use them. If you do run across an Immortal you can't kill them just in case it changes history," she explained. 

"What are we supposed to do? Tell them sorry but I have to check the history books first?" teased Adam. 

"Hopefully you avoid them as much as possible," Karen said. 

"You know Methos, your usual," Mac replied. 

Mac grinned and then ducked as Methos threw a wadded up wrapper at him. "Children, can I have your answer sometime before I turn to dust," she said frustrated at their taking her request so lightly. 

"Well, I don't know about the Boy Scout, but I'm game for it." Adam winked at her. 

"That means I'm going to have to go along just to keep an eye on you." Mac frowned, but couldn't hide the amusement in his eyes. 

"So what do we do?" asked Methos. 

"Pack a bag and don't forget your swords. I'll make the flight reservations," she told them. 

"Flight? If I remember rightly the Wright brothers hadn't invented airplanes yet," MacLeod told her playfully. 

"And wasn't it in North Carolina, not London?" Methos asked mischievously. 

"Just my luck, I'm stuck with Abbott and Costello." She swatted at them playfully before taking her cell phone out as she headed out of the office. 

* * *

Methos and MacLeod looked about as they entered the living room of the ranch house in Colorado where they'd just arrived. Doctor Helen Sanders, an attractive redhead in her forties, opened the door, greeting Karen warmly. Karen introduced Helen to MacLeod and Adam. 

She had told the two men on the flight to Colorado how Doctor Amos Cummings had been in NASA but grew bored when he felt space travel had become pedestrian. Looking for a new challenge, he hit upon time travel and after some work and research had finally succeeded in sending men back in time. 

During one mission she'd been introduced to the star team of Doctor Clinton Unshaw and Jeff Allen. Jeff, an astronaut, had been too young for the moon and too old for Saturn, so when Amos offered him a place in his project he had jumped at the chance. 

Clinton had been a doctor in a New Orleans hospital during Mardi Gras when there had been an influx of patients with a strange new illness. He told the hospital head to seal off New Orleans to prevent it's spreading but they'd been more concerned with what that would do to the city's income if they panicked the tourists. Clint wanted to solve the disease and find a cure before it spread and became a plague. 

Jeff was sent to recruit him but only told him that a plane awaited and a chance for a cure was being offered. If that wasn't enough, it was a presidential request. It wasn't until he'd met Amos and Helen that he began to get a gist of just what Jeff had been offering. He thought they were absolutely insane thinking that they could return to 1871 Chicago. Somehow Jeff and Amos had hijacked Unshaw into agreeing to go with Jeff to 1871. 

They'd been dropped in the north side instead of the south side of the city and four days rather than a week before the great Chicago fire which burnt most of the city down. Amos' main order was to record and observe but not to interfere because you didn't want to chance what would result from it. They'd researched and found Clint's current patients shared the same symptoms with twenty-seven patients of a doctor in Chicago 1871. Doctor Joshua Henderson had cured twenty-five of them before dying with his niece Jane, and the twenty-seventh patient when the hospital had collapsed on top of them during the fire. Unfortunately, the doctor had no idea how he was curing his patients and they were forced to stay and hopefully find some clues to the cure. Trouble happened when Clint had fallen in love with Jane and then fell sick with the very disease they were fighting. 

Jeff had retrieved a sample of blood from the twenty-sixth patient, a sailor, but a struggle had resulted in the sailor's death and Jeff found himself hiding from the police, unaware that Clint had fallen ill. He'd felt guilty about causing the man's death despite the fact Clint reassured him the disease had killed the man and not the struggle. 

Just as the great Chicago fire was raging against the night sky, they finally realized that the homemade elderberry wine Joshua had been giving to his patients along with their pills had a residue that cured the disease. Between Clint's illness, love for Jane, the fire, and Joshua finding out that they weren't who they claimed to be it, was difficult to get a good enough sample to return to their present with. They managed to return and the cure was used to save lives, including Clint's. 

After being released from the hospital Jeff had taken Clint to a Chicago graveyard that had been where Doctor Henderson and his niece Jane had been buried. Clint had buried his Presidential thank you letter in Joshua's grave and Jeff had left him alone to have time to say goodbye to Jane. Amos had offered Clint a position with the project and Clint had used Jeff's saying about how he'd fallen in love with history. Since then Clint and Jeff had become the star team of the project. They'd done well recruiting people with a passion for history and the skills to deal with it. 

MacLeod knew that Karen had loved history with a passion but he'd never known until now how deep that passion had gone. Adam and MacLeod were introduced to Amos Cummings, Clint Unshaw, and Jeff Allen. Amos was in his sixties with thinning graying hair and a slim body. 

Clint was a tall, dark brown-haired man with a quiet retrospective way about him. Jeff Allen had short brown hair and a military bearing, but that was the only thing disciplined about him or the hint of humor in his eyes. They had talked about what was expected and answered any questions Methos or Mac had. They'd been told period outfits were in their quarters so they could fit into 1860's London. They had spent the night listening to Clint and Jeff tell stories about their time traveling adventures. 

Methos assumed it was to show the rookies that anything could and would happen, but he also suspected they enjoyed recalling their missions. From what Methos could see, these men were the closest to his kind that could be found in the mortal world. They retired for the evening and Methos found himself staring out the window unable to suppress the thrill of excitement and yet the apprehension at what awaited them. 

Somehow he had managed to relax enough to finally fall asleep but all too soon it seemed the morning came and he needed to get ready for the mission. He had dressed in the period clothes and strapped on his sword before picking up the bag with more clothes and necessary things to finish their mission successfully. He and MacLeod met Joe and Richie, who'd arrived that morning at breakfast. 

When they arrived at the lab, Richie started to flirt with a pretty blonde lab tech while Joe spoke with Helen. 

"Joe, you look good; born too late if you ask me," Mac teased. 

"Funny, MacLeod, but I thought your looks might improve with vintage clothing. My mistake," he replied with humor. 

"Well, let's get going boys and maybe you'll be able to work this energy out in the past," Karen teased them. They stepped into the chamber used to send the travelers back. Despite advances in technology the main setup hadn't changed from the original machine. 

They each had recalls they could use to return to the present without having to return to their arrival site or bringing the whole team with them. Karen carried reports and supplies meant for the London team with her. One of the London team had disappeared without a trace and the search for their missing teammate as well as their usual work was a strain on the team. Amos was sending Karen in with the others to help look for the missing man. 

* * *

"I'd forgotten how much it stinks," complained Methos when they arrived. 

"Stink is subjective Methos; trust me, the twentieth century stinks in it's own way," Joe said. 

"Let's go into the base and I'll introduce you to the team. She stepped out of the alley and looked around before leading them to the building from the alley they'd arrived in. She knocked on the door and was greeted by a young redhead who showed them into the foyer. A blonde man came down the stairs and hugged her enthusiastically before kissing her cheek. 

"Michael Reed, I'd like you to meet the search team." She introduced each of the men who'd come with her. 

"I'm glad you're here, and I see you've already met Fiona." He nodded towards the young redhead. 

"Fiona Chamberlain, at your service gentlemen," she introduced herself. 

"The other two members of the time currently in the city are Scott Higgins and Andrea Black. They are currently making their rounds of the city while looking for our missing man, Dominic Archer. He left one morning to do his rounds a month ago. We waited a week, then began our search, but so far we've failed to come up with anything and the history research we've done hasn't even given us a hint," said Michael. 

"We'll settle in and then begin our search. We've been given a description and photo of Mr. Archer and we'll find him, Michael," she reassured him. 

"I know you're good at finding things and people, it's just that I'd like first crack at whoever is responsible." 

"I'll try to restrain myself, Mr. Reed," she replied with a mischievous grin. 

"Then I'll have Fiona show you to your rooms and I'll get back to work." 

They said their goodbyes and Fiona showed them to their rooms. She gave them what information she felt they'd need, then excused herself to return to work. 

"We'll start by splitting up and searching sections of the city I've marked off on the map. Methos. I want you to take Joe and Richie with you for the first few days since they've never been to this time. You've been in this time but not this city so you're better equipped to handle the change," Karen told them. She was glad neither Richie or Joe objected. "MacLeod, you'll take this section of the city and I'll take this one." She pointed to parts of the map. 

"No, we search together or you stay here," MacLeod ordered and she bristled. 

"Mac," she said through gritted teeth, "I can handle myself." 

"I know you know how to handle yourself, but you are also a woman in an age when women were easy targets and there's no sense inviting trouble." She wanted to rage or complain but she knew he was right; having to handle attackers would lengthen the search more than if she and MacLeod searched together. 

"Fine, have it your way," she said begrudgingly and saw Mac grin at her with a look that made her want to smack him, hard. They headed out to search and Karen felt the excitement that always came with a new adventure. They searched for most of the morning but found no one who could or would tell them anything about Dominic Archer or what had happened to him. They finally stopped at a tavern for lunch. They were seated and had ordered when four men entered the tavern making noise louder than the noise level that had already been there. They settled at the bar and it was a few minutes before Karen felt that feeling. 

It was the prickly feeling she always felt when someone was watching her. She looked up to see one of the four men who'd just entered staring at her and when he saw her staring back he winked at her lewdly. She gave him a look of disgust and turned back to MacLeod. Too soon, the man had made his way over to the table. He laid a beefy hand down on the table before her. 

"Hello, my pretty," Karen shivered at the saying because it had been the one Kurgan had used before Connor had killed him. She ignored him in hopes that he'd go away but he took it as an invitation and continued to annoy her. 

"Go away, I'm not interested," she told him. The man caressed her hair and MacLeod grabbed hold of his hand. 

"She told you to leave," he hissed as his Scottish accent got thicker with his anger. Before he knew what was happening the man punched him and he'd returned the punch causing, a fight to break out. 

Karen ducked as crockery and chairs flew and tried to get MacLeod out of the middle of the melee so they could escape. She found Mac being held by two of the guy's friends while the man beat him. She grabbed a bottle and smashed it over the man's head but he only turned and grabbed her roughly. 

"I love spirited women," he said with glee. 

"Let go, you oaf!" she complained loudly as she tried to loosen his hold and found she couldn't. Out of nowhere a man came bashing into the big brute who held her, knocking her loose. The surprise attack was enough to cause the two men holding Mac to let go in surprise and he took one while she took the other. He grinned at her, assuming a woman was no threat. That was his mistake as she slugged him in the stomach and then in the jaw and he collapsed on the tavern floor. 

"Bravo!" she turned and saw the man that had come to her rescue clapping and then he took her arm. "Let's get out here before this gets any worse." 

As he took her arm she grabbed MacLeod and they followed the man out of the tavern. "My thanks, kind sir," she told him. 

"An American!? That's wonderful, and one who knows how to deal with ruffians as well. Pleasure to meet your acquaintance, the name is Phileas Fogg," he introduced himself. 

"Karen Roarke, and my companion, Duncan MacLeod." 

"Why don't you come with me? I know a much better place to find a meal and one where you wouldn't have to concern yourself with ruffians." 

"Sounds good to me," said MacLeod. 

"I agree, so why not lead the way, Mr. Fogg?" she asked. 

"Phileas, please, Miss Roarke." 

"Only if you call me Karen, and he's Mac." She motioned her head at MacLeod. 

"Karen and Mac it is," he answered and then called a cab. As it stopped nearby, Phileas gave her a hand up and then offered Mac help, which he declined politely. Phileas gave the address before joining them in the cab. 

  
Across the city, Methos find himself helping Richie and Joe deal with muggers when a pretty red-headed woman suddenly joined them, giving them help. He barely had time to admire her marital arts skill as he battled the men who sought to rob them. Soon enough though the men decided they were outnumbered and took off down the street. 

"Many thanks, lovely lady," Methos said as he took her hand in his and kissed the back of it. 

"You're most welcome, my name is Rebecca Fogg. I saw you in trouble and could not pass by without doing something." 

"I'm Adam Pierson, and these are my friends Joe Dawson and Richard Ryan." 

"Perhaps we should see you to wherever you're going since those men may decide a woman alone is too much temptation and try to avenge their bruised egos," he offered. 

"That sounds most welcome, Mr. Pierson. I'm only going a short distance to a nearby restaurant to meet my cousin." 

"Please, I'm Adam," he told her and both Joe and Richie said to use their first names as well. 

"Well then, I'm Rebecca, and no complaints about it either," she warned playfully. 

"My dear, with a woman who could beat up a man like you, why would I object to anything you wanted?" Methos teased. 

* * *

© 2002   
Please send comments to the author! 

01/14/2002 

* * *


End file.
